FIA scraps pit lane rule during safety car period

Yes! Finally something sensible came out of FIA camp. One of the rules which ruined racing results in a turn of a lap for last 2 years is gone! Now, the pits will be kept open for drivers to enter with a software regulating drivers’ speeds.

Several drivers found themselves effected by the rules since its inception in 2007.

* Fernando Alonso and Nico Rosberg, Montreal, 2007

* Heikki Kovalainen, Melbourne, 2008

* Nick Heidfeld, Catalunya, 2008

* Robert Kubica, Singapore, 2008

Now, even F1 race director Charlie Whiting agrees that the rule was bad.

“When we deploy the safety car, the message will go to all the cars, which will then have a ‘safety car’ mode on their ECUs (electronic control units).

“As soon as that message gets to the car, it will know where it is on the circuit, and it will calculate a minimum time for the driver to get back to the pits.” he said

Although its a great move for 2009 but with refuelling banned in 2010, its almost a case of too little, too late!